Alright, Alright, Alright…. Before we experienced the “McConaissance” of 2013/2014, which culminated in a much-deserved Oscar win for Dallas Buyers Club, a brief but memorable appearance in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street‘ and of course True Detective, Matty McC had already stepped away from the rom-coms that were sullying his good name by going all-out for a series of excellent films that ultimately led to this “McConaissance”. As we celebrate the release of Interstellar – in cinemas now – we thought we’d look back at some of these performances…
Bernie (2011)
Fellow Austin local Richard Linklater’s brilliant film not only gave Jack Black a chance to shine – giving him a Golden Globe nomination in the process – but really was one of the first films in almost a decade that returned McConaughey to a praise-worthy performance. In a supporting role as Danny Buck Davidson, the local District Attorney who brings Bernie to trial, the low budget film showed off what McConaughey was capable of when he had a great script to work with and moved away from the lead role – and, naturally, the money that came along with it.
Mud (2012)
Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, this was arguably the film that led McConaughey to take on the role in True Detective. Similarly gritty, the film saw McConaughey play Mud, a mysterious man on the run living on a small island in the Arkansas River. Though the filmed was named after him, ulimately the story was a coming-of-age story for two boys – Ellis and Neckbone – who meet Mud and help to free him from the island. The unique dynamic between the boys and Mud is a fascinating one, and as you learn more about the boys and the titular character you can’t help but be transfixed by the story and their performances. McConaughey is brilliant here. A must see.
The Paperboy (2012)
As in Bernie, McConaughey again took on a smaller role here as Miami reporter Ward Jansen. Though critics were mixed on the film, they praised McConaughey’s performance – and indeed it’s one worth watching.
Killer Joe (2011)
“Matty McC went all-out for Killer Joe, a deranged, nasty little thriller that bypassed many a radar (not helped by its straight-to-DVD release in Australia), this was the type of film McConaughey needed to prove his worth as an actor. Using his world-famous physique and movie star good looks to both draw and deceive an unsuspecting audience, Killer Joe Cooper was unlike anything we’d witnessed from him, and nothing we’ve seen since. Guaranteed to make you look at a KFC chicken wing in a whole new light, ‘Killer Joe’ was the true start of McConaughey’s second coming as one of the great movie stars of today.” – Peter Gray
“McConaughey blew apart casting stereotypes with his role as ‘killer’ Joe Cooper. A detective who plays an ‘assassin for hire’ on the side, it’s the first time I’d seen him supplement his trademark charm with a surprisingly cunning and derisive edge. As mind blowing as the plot twists are and as talented as the supporting cast is, I don’t think this film would’ve been quite right, without the amazing depth McConaughey invested as Joe. He managed to make the character so repugnant and yet so alluring at the same time, which is no mean feat!” – Nazia Hafiz
A Time To Kill (1996)
So how far back do we have to look for another great performance? Though some may reference The Lincoln Lawyer, let’s take you back to 1996… “The first film I ever saw McConaughey in and he was mesmerizing. The film has a very “To Kill A Mockingbird” vibe, and to McConaughey’s credit he embodies the role of the lawyer with the ethically and morally difficult case on his hands with such intensity and skill and I believe it truly put him on the A-list. This also paved the way for his later dramatic role as another lawyer in The Lincoln Lawyer 15 years later.” – Carina Nilma
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Matthew McConaughey is currently appearing in Interstellar, which is in cinemas now.
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